Arasu Cable TV Monopoly – Loksatta Party Demands Freedom for Media

The Tamil Nadu government is running the business of Cable TV Transmission and Distribution under the banner ‘Tamil Nadu Arasu Cable TV Corp Ltd’.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has been insisting for an impartial and independent media in the country.

However in Tamil Nadu, the government is enjoying the monopoly of running the Cable business under the pretext of protecting the consumer from Cable operators. And worse, everywhere the Cable operators are charging in an exorbitant manner. The Arasu Cable authorities do not take any action against erring Cable operators when complaints are raised.

The government uses ‘Arasu Cable’ as a tool to hinder the broadcast of Channels which belong to Political opponents and channels which spoke against the government.’Captain News’ and ‘Sun News’ are examples for channels which faced oppression from the government.

As Arasu Cable couldn’t secure a ‘Digital Addressable System’ licence for Chennai metro area, the government couldn’t monopoly the Cable business in Chennai as it is doing in other 31 districts. The government tried to potray this as a Centre-State rights issue in the earlier Congress regime at the centre. It is to be remembered that the earlier government followed only the TRAI recommendations and licence was rejected even for a few congress ruling states. Now the Tamil Nadu government is pushing the new government at the centre for the license.

Tamil Nadu government should understand that government monopoly may oppress Jaya TV too in case if the opposition party comes to power.

Loksatta Party demands that the government should exit from the Cable TV business and should ensure impartial and independent media in the state.